INTERNAL PARASITES 93 



palpable. The siek bird coughs and shakes its head frequently. 

 I\Iasses of viseid mueus are expelled from the mouth. The 

 bii'ds frequently open their mouths and make a wheezing noise. 

 Their appetite remains excellent but emaciation soon develops. 

 In later stages the appetite disappears and the feathers are 

 ruffled. A definite diagnosis may always be made upon au- 

 topsy hy the presence or absence of the worms in the trachea, 

 where, if present, they will l)e found in ]^airs attached to the 

 mucous mend^rane. 



Prevention. — Hatch the eggs in an incubator. Do not allow 

 the chicks to run out in wet grass, where they may find earth 

 worms or contaminated water. Feed only in containers which 

 are constructed for the i:)urpose and kept clean. 



Treatment. — By grasping the bird in the left hand and forc- 

 ing its mouth open a doubled horse hair may be run down 

 the trachea and by twisting and again withdrawing, the worms 

 may usually be dislodged. Gentle pressure over the region of 

 the mass may so injure the worms as to cause them to loosen 

 their hold and be expelled by the bird during the coughing 

 which this causes. Care must be exercised lest the trachea be 

 injured. A feather from which all barbs except the tip have 

 been removed may be dipped in turpentine, forced down the 

 trachea, and when the tip has passed the mass of worms it 

 mav be twisted as it is withdrawn. This usually results in 

 their removal. By referring to Fig. 2, the location of the 

 opening of the trachea (34) through the larynx may be seen. 

 The Syngamus lironchialis affects the bronchi where it causes 

 a catarrhal condition and at times abscess formation. 



UNIMPORTANT ROUND WORMS 



There are other round worms that may infest the intestinal 

 tract, l)ut they are not common, or important, to the poultry 

 industry. The list follows : 



Heterakis Differens 

 This is a slightly larger species than the Heterakis papillosa. 

 Its mouth has no apparent lips: the pharyngeal bulb is distinct; 

 there are two unequal spiculae. It is found in the posterior portion 

 of the intestines of chickens. 



Heterakis Compressa 



This is a round worm of about the size of the Ascaris inflexa. 

 The tail ends in a sharp mucro. It is found in the small intestines 

 of chickens. 



Trichosomum 



Several species of this genus have been reported from various 

 parts of the world, but have not been observed by the author in 

 this country. They are shaped something like the old-fashioned 

 blacksnake whip. They are blood suckers, and in the adult stage 

 live in the small intestine. 



